My wife found a Windows 8 Gateway laptop today at work for $180, and then GAVE me the MacBook Pro! Yay me! I’ve already deleted her account, shut off the guest account, and am working on downloading some software..

Initially, I thought I would want the latest edition of MS Office on this machine, but since I no longer use Outlook, I can probably use “Open Office” (for free) for my Word Processing and Spread Sheet stuff.

The latest addition to our tech stuff is a Gateway laptop mentioned above. It has like a 21.5″ screen, and a huge keyboard with a number pad. I just can’t believe how massive the screen is. It is running on an AMD CPU, with 4GB RAM, and an ATI Radeon Graphics card, with a 750GB HDD. Pretty smooth considering that’s close to the same configuration of the Dell Tower I’m using this very moment…It is certainly plenty of machine for my wife. The most intensive thing she will use it for is probably “NetFlix.”

Dell Desktop (old one…i think I purchased this computer in 2007). Has but 4GB of RAM, but still runs Win 7 Pro very well. I am happy with it.

Daughter’s laptop (no idea of the specs, but it has a tiny screen). This was given to her by her Career Technical College, and she gets to keep it after she graduates. However, she has been hinting that she and I build a new, kick-butt desktop system. That is something I have done in the past with phenomenal success…

An iPad 2, iPad 1, IPad Mini32GB Retina Display

One older Plasma TV

2 Newer Samsung LCD TV’s

2 Blu-Ray players with wireless for Netflix and such

Tech Stuff I WANT really, really bad:

latest iMac with maxXxed out RAM (like 48+GB), minimum 1TB HDD, largest available screen, fastest CPU, etc. to use for my desktop computer

An iPad Air64GBRetina Display with AT&T Cellular capability (I don’t use my AT&T plan for my Mini’s Wi-Fi, but rather hook it up through my iPhone 5s when out, otherwise, it hooks up to my 45MBs home network (broadband connection by AT&T)

A 60″ 3D LED TV, wall mounted in front room of house

A “kick butt” Dolby 7.1 Surround Speaker System

Add to that the best smart watch on the market, whatever that is, and it will come close to completing my wish list here!

As far as other technology based stuff, the only things I would add are that I am relearning HTML (v5 this time), and JavaScript at CodeAcademy for FREE!

I also have multiple iPhone educational apps for learning how to code, and some on my iPad Mini…I adore programming. When I was able to work for a living still, I learned how to program electrical control systems computer interface modules and stuff like that, for automated machining lines (meaning robotic 🙂 ). Never got to write anything from scratch to do controls, but I did get to watch over a programmer’s shoulder and observe WTH he was doing. Didn’t look all that tough to me.

I have also held jobs as an electrician, Electrical/Electro-Mechanical/Automation, and Electronics Engineer. Fun stuff if you are into making things do what you need or want them to do through the use of a computer interface….sending tons of little 5V signals to myriad equipment controllers, not to mention the building, installation, and final troubleshooting of FANUC robots, mostly in OKUMA lathe applications.

See there, a gun guy that has a brain that works! Are you anti-gun people surprised? LOLOL.

Are you a Newbie to the ‘net & searches and the like? Do you need information on a tech product?

Go to CNet Reviews and you will be able to do a simple search on their site to find what you are looking for.

Did you just buy an “Apple” product, i.e., an iPad (Mini or Air or other), an iPhone (any), a Macbook of some sort, or an iMac? Simply go to the APPLE SUPPORT AREA to get info on how to use your new toy, IF you need such info that is. The last thing us tech types do is called RTFM (Read The F****** Manual) lol. Sorry to allude to such a bad word, but that’s what ‘they’ say.

DO YOU USE GOOGLE CHROMEAS YOUR WEB BROWSER? IF SO, CHECK OUT THE CHROME APP STORE! MOST OF THE STUFF IS FREE, AND THERE IS A TON OF COOL APPS THERE!! I GIVE IT 5 STARS AND A COMMENSURATE RECOMMENDATION!!